Electric-wire swivel coupling



TI L. DENNIS.

ELECTRIC WIRE SWIVEL COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 27. 1920.

1,404,097 Patented Jan. 17, 1922.

WITNESSES I INVEIV'TOR @412 wyw [1.fl61ml5 I By A TTOR/I/E VS UNITED srAT-Es P 'rizrrroFFicE.

THOMAS L. DENNIS, OF'NEW YORK, N. Y.,-ASSIGNOR T GEORGE '1. PARKER, 01

- NEW YORK, N. I

Application filed May 27,

To all whom it may cone-em:

, Be it known that I, THOMAS L. DESNI; a

' citizen of the United States, and a resident of an improved construction, the coupling wires adapted to conduct-electrical energy,

the arrangement being such that the current will freely pass, while one section of the wire may freely rotate without rotating the other.

Another object of the invention is to pro- -.vid e a swivel coupler which may be inserted in apair of electric conducting wires or a multiple of wires at any point and not disturb the continuous electrical condu1t,wh1le permitting ,free independent rotary movement of either section of wire.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a simple construction of coupler in which a clamping bolt or screw is used ,for holding the parts together while allowing free rotary movement of the free respective parts, and contact construction arranged adjacent the screw for presenting a continuous contact of appreciable size.

ln the accompanying drawing Figure l is a perspective view showing a. vacuum sweeper with a co .inecting cord and a coupling embodying the invention inserted in the cord.

Fig. 2- is a longitudinal'vertical section through the coupler shown in Fig. 1, the same being on an enlarged scale,

Fig. 3 is a face view of one section of the coupler. said view illustrating the arrangement of rigid contact ring.

F ig. i is a face view of the other part of the coupler shown in Fig. 2 illustrating the flexible or resilient contact-member.

Referring to the accompanying drawing bv numerals 1 indicates an electrical cord whichzis provided with two conductors insulated from each other. said cord being shown in the drawing as connected with a vacuum sweeper 2. To use the vacuum sweeper :2 it is necessary for the cords to be of some considerable length so that the sweeper may be moved about the room.

' Specification of Letters Patent Patented J an, 17,

ELECTRIC-WIRE SWIVEL COUPLING.

1920. Serial No. 384,696.

This also causes the cord 1 to become twisted and to obviate this twisting heretofore the person using the sweeper was careful to minimize the twisting action. By using the swivel coupler 3 the person using the sweeper may move the, sweeper wherever desired and in any desired manner, as the short section of the cord 1 will readily cause the swivel coupler 3 to operate and thereby prevent any twisting of the cord. This coupler has been shown in connection with a vacuum sweeper. but it will of course be evident that it may be connected to telephone wires, or any other device without in anv way departing from the; spirit of the invention.

Referring to Fig. '2 bynu'merals it will be noted that the swivel coupler 1 is divided into parts 4 and 5, which as shown is formed of insulating material, which material may be rubber, or any other insulating material. The part 4 is provided with an annular groove 6 in which a conducting ring 7 is positioned, said ring being of metal or any other suitable material and connected to the binding post 8 by threaded extension 9 screwed into the ring or connected thereto in any desired manner.

The socket 10 of conducting material is arranged centrally of the part 4 and internally'threaded so as to receive the threaded end of screw. 11 which is provided at the head 12. The socket member'10 is provided with a binding post 13 to which the con,- ductor 14 is secured, while conductor 15 is secured to binding post 8, thus making the ring 7 and the socket 10 opposite terminals of the cord '1.

A protecting cap 16 is threaded to the part 4 so as to cover and protect the binding posts 8 and 13 and associated parts, and

at the same time present a neat appearance. I The part 5 is preferably provided with an annular head at 17 extending loosely into the groove 6, said head at one point accom- -modating the extension 18 of binding post 19. said extension having a bore therein which accommodates one end of the contact 20, said contact being shown as a wire round in cross section and bent forming almost a circle as illustrated in F ig; 4. The contact 20 is formed to'present a spiral when not under tension. but when the parts are assembled as shown in Fig. 2 the spiral is compressed somewhat so that there will be I an appreciable part of the wire frictional contact with the ring 7. Preferably these contacts 20 and 7 are of metal but they may be made from other conducting material. I

Arranged centrally of the part 5 is a core member 21 which has a-smooth bore therethrough in which the screw 11 fits and said screw being arranged with the head 12 will bear against the end of the core member so, as to bind parts 4 and 5 together. The connection between the screw 11 and core member 21 has a sliding connection so that the parts 4-and 5 may rotate relatively to each other without disturbing the electrical connection between the respective parts 4 and 5. A bindingpost 22 is connected with the core member 21 and receives the wire 14', while binding post 19 receives wire 15'. -A protecting cap 23 is threaded onto the part 5 for covering the other part having a yielding contact 'member arranged at one end and engaging said contact ring when the parts are connected together, a centrally arranged metallic member-positioned in each of said parts, one of .said members having a threaded socket and the other a bore, a screw extending through said bore and into the threaded socket for connectin said parts together and permitting a re ative rotation of said parts, va binding post secured to each of. said metallic members, a binding Jpost carried by one of the parts connected with said annularcontact member, and a binding post carried by the other of said parts connected with said yielding contact member.

2. A swivel coupler comprising two independent parts formed of insulating material, each of said parts having a-connecting member arranged therein, one portion of each of said members acting as a binding post and the other as connecting members, a screw extending through one of said connecting members and threaded into the other for locking the two connecting members together while allowing an independent rotary movement thereof, said connecting members being imbedded respectively in the two parts, a second binding post arranged in each of said parts, a ring inone of said parts connected to one of said second binding posts and a spring connected to -the other of said second binding posts and operating against said ring.

3. A swiveled coupling for electric wires,

comprising two members of insulated material, one of the members being provided with an annular groove in its end and the other with an annular bead projecting in the groove, a centrally arranged metallic member in each of the first named members and carrying a binding post, a screw engaging the metallic members to holdthe parts together, a metallic ring in the annular grooveof the said member, a binding post carried by one of the members and having a stem secured to said ring, a binding post carried by the other member and having a stem leading to the annular groove, and a wire'in the form of a ring and having one end secured to the stem of the. last named binding post, said wire engaging the said ring.

THOMAS L. DENNIS. 

